Sealing arrangement for sliding closures



Sept. 30, 1952 J. w. KENDRICK SEALING ARRANGEMENT FOR SLIDING CLOSURES Filed March 17, 1950 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Sept. 30, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT or SEALING ARRANGEMENT FOR SLIDING GLOSURES;

John W. Kendrick, Chicago, 111., assignorto- Met-L-Wood Corporation, Chicago, 111., a cor- 'poratiomoi lllinois- A'pplicat'i'on'March 11, 1950, SerialNo,150,248

2-Glalilns.

This invention relates to a sealing arrangement forsli'ding closures, and more'particularly to a sealing arrangement for sliding closures which have an edge adapted to be mov'edinto sealing relation with a juxtaposed'surface, which surface may bean edge of a second sliding closure or" one of the edges of the opening being-closed.

In'other words, the sealing arrangement which is the object of this invention can be utilized withasingle sliding closure which is adapted to bemoved into abutment with one edge of the opening being closed, or may be used to form a seal between two sliding closures adapted to be 'moved into abutting-relationat one edge-thereof.

p In some installations, a double'sliding door is the most desirable form of closure, but the problem of providing a satisfactory sealing arrangement between the juxtaposed edges of such doors has been a limiting factor in the use of such an assembly. This type of door assembly is particularly-useful, for example, in cerain types of railroad cars, and the particular installation illustrated in the. drawing accompanying this application is of such an assembly.

It is therefore an object of this invention to 'providea sealing arrangement for slidingclosures which is relatively simple in construction, but which produces a positive sealing action when "used either asa sealing arrangement-betweenthe juxtaposed edges of two sliding closures,or when utilized with a single such closure to form-a seal between an edge of the closure and an edge of the opening with which the closure is associated.

It is a further object to provide a sealing. ar-

rangement of the character described which provides a triple seal whichisextremely difiicult for undesirable elements such as wind or rain. to

penetrate,- and in which the effectiveness of the .sealing accomplished by the abutmentof the various components in the assembly is greatly enhanced by providing for appropriate distortion of certain of these components, rather than requiring a compression thereof. A further object is therefore to provide a sealing assembly which will produce very eiiicient seal when only arelatively low pressure is applied to the various componentsbythe edge of the one or more closures with which it is utilized.

Stillanother object is to provide a sealing arrangement of the character described having a convenient and efiective means for positively securing the main portion of the assembly tothe edge of the closure, and also to provide an arrangement inwhich several of the components. whentheassembly is-in the sealing position, form anatural drain and therefore prevent undesirable accumulation of moisturein .the sealing assembly andi'n its associated parts. Further objects and advantages or'thisinvention' will; become evident as the description proceeds, and from an' examination? of the accompanying drawing which illustrates-one embodiment of the invention and "in which-similarnurnera'ls refer to similar parts throughout the several'views.

In the drawing: s Figure 1 is a plan view of two center closin g sliding doorsadapted-for use-in a railroad-baggagecar-or the like, the door assembly incorpora'ting one "embodiment of the'seaIing-arrangeinent' which is-th'e subject matter of thisinven- Figurez is a fragmentaryyiew in'vertical erosssection of a portion of the two center-closingsliding doors and the sealing assembly associated therewith shown in Figure 1, the view being taken along the line 2-2 of Figure l; and

Figure Sis a perspective View of the stripof,

resilient sealing material which 'is secured -to the right-hand edge of the-door shown on the l efl; in Figures 1 and 2. I

Referring-now toFigure '1, the two centerclosing, sliding doors, indicated generallytby the numerals l0 and I2, are a type particularly adaptedffor use on railroadz'baggage cars; on the like. As best shown in Figure .2, theseadoorszmay be constructed of plywood 14' having suitable metalsheeting l6 bonded thereto. Obviously, the doorscould. belformed .ofany :other suitable ma- 'teriahhowever; Suitable metal inserts tm shuwn indotted lines in Figure .1, canJoe utilized zto support the hangers and handles :whicmmayibe required for .a proper installation.

The two edges. 20 and 22', as beashovmimng :ure 2, of the doors Hi and Ilrespectively,;are normally disposed in'iuxtaposed relation and are adapted to be moved into close association-when the doors are closed. The strip of .resilient'sea'ling vmaterial,indicated generally by the numerahfl, having a substantially U-shaped cross-section, has its'base'26 secured to theedge 20. of thegdoor 1.0. Likewise, the edge. 22 of the door l2thas;th.e centrally disposed upstandingfiange 28 associated therewith. These .twoelements, namely, the strip of resilient material 24- and the flange: 28,..are adapted to move into cooperative association when the juxtaposed edges 20 and 220i the doors [0 and 12 are moved together to close the doors.

A double channel member 30 of substantially H-shaped cross-section may be provided which is adapted to receive the edge 20 of the doorflflin secured relation in one channel .fthe'reofp -iihe '40 of the strip of sealing material 24.

3 channel member maybe secured thereto by suitable holding means, such as the fastener 32. The channel member is also adapted to receive the base 26 of the resilient strip of sealing material in snugly fitting relation in the oppositely disposed channel.

The upstanding flange 28 may be formed as an integral part of a second channel member 34 which channel member, exclusive of the flange 28, has a substantially U-shaped cross-section. This channel member 34 is adapted to receive the edge 22 of the door 12 therein, and may be secured to this edge by a suitable holding means, such as the fastener 36. As previously stated, the flange 28 is centrally disposed on the base of the channel member 84 in projecting relation thereto, so that when the edge 22 is disposed in the channel member, as described, the flange 28 is centrally disposed with respect to the edge 22 of the door 12.

' The strip of resilient sealing material 24 has a substantially U-shaped cross-section, the arms or lips 38 and 48 of the U being curved slightly in- ,,wardly, toward their outer extremities 42 and 44,

as best shown in Figure 3. A channel 46 is formed by these arms 38 and 40 into which the flange 28 is adapted to be inserted as the-two doors are closed. A deformable web 48 may be provided extending between the base of the arms 38 and 40, and disposed in spaced relation to the base 26 of the strip sov as to form a longitudinal opening 58 between the base 26 and the web 48. The face of the .web adjacent the base 26 may be given a concave configuration if desired, as best shown in Figure 3, to increase its deformable character.

An elongated strip of relatively non-resilient material, such as the metal strip 52, may be disposed in the longitudinal opening 58 to provide a suitable surface which the heads of holding.

means, such as the fastener 54 (Figure 2), may abut, and thus positively secure the base 28 of the resilient strip of sealing material 24 to the edge 20 of the door ill in the outermost channel of the double channel member 30.

In: operation, the arrangement described forms .a very impervious seal between the two doors. The protruding flange 28 on the channel member .34 is so disposed that upon bringing the two edges 20 and 22 of the doors [8 and I2 together, it enters between the projecting arms or lips 38 or As the edges of the two doors are moved into closer relation, the outer extremities 42 and 44 of the arms or lips 38 and 48 will be brought into abutment with the outer surface 56 of the base of the channel member 34, and at substantially the same time the outer end 58 of the flange 28 will be moved into abutment with the deformable web .48 extending between the arms 38 and 48.

Further movement of the two doors as described will cause the two arms 38 and 48 to be bent in the area adjacent their extremities 42 and 44 more sharply inwardly, as shown in Figure 2.

so that a considerable area of their outer surfaces will abut the outer surface 56 of the channel member 34. Simultaneously, the outer extremities 42 and 44 of the strip 24 will normally be moved into abutment with the base of the flange 28.

At the same time, as the doors are moved into closer relation, the deformable web 48 will be distorted to an even greater degree by the outer end 58 'cf the flange 28, forming a very tight seal therebetween. I

When the two doors are broughtinto the pothe channel member 34. Then inwardly along the flange and the arms 38 and 40.

the flange 28 and thence between the outer extremity 58 thereof and the web 48, which it abuts. Then back along the flange 28 and between the outerextremity 44 of the other arm 48 of the resilient strip 24 and the surface 56 of the flange member 34.

It will be seen that this path involves the passage between three sealed areas in addition to being very irregular.

The particular shape which has been given the arms or lips 38 and 48 on the sealing strip 24 adapts them to relatively easy distortion in the form of an inward bending action, and to thus form a seal, rather than by a compressive action. This is a distinct advantage, since the latter would require the application of a much greater force to achieve a comparable seal. This insures the attainment of a highly satisfactory seal with much smaller pressures than would otherwise be the case. Likewise the void, or opening, 58 formed between the web 48 and the base 26 of the sealing strip 2% permits the web 48 tov be readily distorted inwardly by pressures which are relatively small, whereas if this area were not so constructed a much greater pressure would be necessary to achieve the same amount of sealin effect between the web 48 and the outer end 58 of the flange 28.

The particular configuration of the sealing strip 24 also causes this strip to form a natural drain when the doors are in the position shown in Figure 2, since a vertical passage is formed on each side of the protecting flange 28 between These vertical passages will ordinarily be more or less open at both their top and bottom extremities, and will thus cause any moisture which may collect on or in association with any of the elements of the sealin assembly to drain off rapidly.

The drawing and the above discussion are not intended to represent the only possible form of this invention, in regard to details of construction. Changes in form and in the proportion of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalents, are contemplated, as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention, as further defined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A sealing arrangement for a sliding closure, which closure has an edge adapted to be moved into sealing relation with a juxtaposed surface comprising a strip of sealing material of substantially U-shaped cross-section adapted to have its base secured to said edge of said closure so that the arms of the U protrude outwardly therefrom, said base of said strip having a longitudinal opening therein so that the upper portion of said base is in the form of a deformable Web, an upstanding flange member adapted to be disposed on said juxtaposed surface so as to be received between the arms of saidstrip and to abut said web when said edge is brought into close association with said juxtaposed surface,

the outer extremities of said arms at the same time being adapted to abut said surface at the base of said flange member and to be bent slightly inwardly thereby so that the outer lateral surfaces of the extremities of said arms closely abut said juxtaposed surface.

2. A sealing arrangement for sliding closures of the character described in claim 1, further comprising an elongated strip of relatively nonresilient material disposed in said longitudinal opening in said base, said elongated strip being adapted to have fastening means inserted therein and through said base to secure the latter to said edge on which said sealing material is disposed.

JOHN W. KENDRICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

